Collapsible storage rack



Dec. 15, 1964 R- s. NASLUND 3,161,293

COLLAPSIBLE STORAGE RACK Filed Jan. 28, 1963 FIE.'7

INVENTOR. RUTH S. NHSLUND United States Patent Ofifiee 3,161,293 Patented Dec. 15, 1964 3,161,298 CULLAPSKBLE STGRAGE RAGE-i Ruth 8. Nasiund, 178 N. th Ave, Des Plaines, lil. Filed Jan. 28, 1963, Ser. No. 254,344 3 Claims. (Cl. 211-164) This invention relates to storage racks, and more particularly to a storage rack of adjustable capacity adapted to be fastened to a vertical support such as a door, wall, or other primary vertical supporting member.

A main object of the invention is to provide an improved and novel adjustable storage rack of the toploading type adapted to be fastened to a closet door, a wall, or other primary vertical supporting member, said rack being adapted to receive material of a flat nature such as sheets, blankets, towels, folded paper articles, or the like, the rack having an adjustable depth determined by the tlnckness of the stored material, and being actuated by gravity to compress the stored material so that it occupies minimum volume, the rack comprising relatively simple components, being easy to install, and collapsing to a relatively small volume when empty.

' A further object of the invention is to provide an improved collapsible storage rack suitable for mounting on a closet door or on any other convenient primary vertical supporting surface, said rack being inexpensive to manufacture, being durable in construction, being neat in appearance, and being easily accessible for placing articles therein or for removing articles therefrom.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved multiple-compartment collapsible storage rack which is compact in size, which protects the articles stored therein, and which enables space otherwise wasted to be usefully employed for storing material of a fiat nature such as linens, folded paper articles, or other fiat items in an easily accessible position and which flattens and presses the stored items, thereby maintaining them in a presentable and unwrinkled condition.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an improved multiple-compartment collapsible storage rack according to the present invention, shown attached to a closet door and shown in an expanded condition.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the storage rack of FIGURE 1, shown in a collapsed condition.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view showing a typical link bar and the manner of connecting it to a panel of the rack, and illustrating a modification of the device of FIGURES l and 2.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view showing a typical link bar and its manner of attachment to a panel of the rack, and illustrating another modifica tion of the device of FIGURES l and 2.

FIGURE 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 6-6 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a corner portion of a panel of a further modification of the present invention, wherein the panels are formed from wire rods, showing a typical link bar and the manner of connecting it to the panel.

Referring to the drawings, 11 generally designates a typical adjustable-capacity storage rack constructed in accordance with the present invention, shown mounted on the inside surface of a closet door 12. The rack 11 comprises a plurality of rigid vertical rectangular panels 13, 14, 15 and 16 linked together for parallel movement and defining storage compartments therebetween. Thus,

panels 13 and 14 are relatively large and are of equal size, being connected together in parallel relationship by respective pairs of side link bars 17, 17 and being connected at their bottom edges by a pair of link bars 18, 18 which provide bottom support for articles placed in the compartment 19 defined between the panels 13,14.

Link bars 18, 18 are connected at their ends to depending U-shaped staples 20 and 21 respectively secured in the bottom edges of panels 13 and 14. As shown in FIGURE 2, said link bars may be arcuately curved at 22 adjacent the bottom edge of panel 14 to provide clearance for said bottom edge when the rack is in its collapsed position. Link bars 17 may be pivotally connected to the side edges of the vertical panels 13 and 14 in any suitable manner, as by pivot screws 23.

Panel 13 may be secured to the door 12, or to any other convenient vertical supporting surface by screws engaged through readily accessible portions of panel 13, for example, through its corner portions, as shown in FIGURE 1.

Panel 15 is smaller than panel 14 and is connected thereto in parallel relationship by respective pairs of side link bars 25, 25 and by a pair of bottom link bars 26, 26 similar to the link bars 22 previously described. Link bars 25 may be pivotally connected to the side edges of panel 15 by pivot screws 27 and to the panel 14 by U-shaped staples 28 secured in the panel 14. Link bars 26 are pivotally connected at one end to depending staples 29 secured in the bottom edge of panel 15, and at their other ends to U-shaped staples 36 secured in panel 14. The link bars 26, 26 provide bottom support for articles placed in the compartment 31 defined between panels 14- and 15.

Panel 15 is smaller than panel 15 and is connected thereto in parallel relationship by respective pairs of side link bars 32, 32 and by a pair of bottom link bars 33, 33 similar to the previously described bottom link bars 22. The bottom link bars 33 provide bottom support for articles placed in the compartment 34 defined between panels 14 and 15.

The link bar connections of panel 15 to panel 14 and of panel 16 to panel 15 are preferably located so that in the collapsed position of the rack, as shown in FIG- URE 2, the bottom edges of panels 15 and 16 will be approximately at the same level or slightly above the level of the bottom edge of panel 14-. This enables the rack to be mounted at a relatively low position on the door, making the compartments 34, 31 and 19 readily accessible. As the compartments become filled, the panels are swung outwardly and upwardly, until finally they reach their positions of maximum extension, as shown in FIGURE 1. The heights of the panels 15 and 16 are preferably so selected that in these final positions the top edges of panels 15 and 16 are substantially at the same level as the top edges of panels 13 and 14. Thus, it can be shown that to obtain this desirable result, the difiier; ence in vertical height between panel 15 and panel 14 must be substantially equal to the effective lengths of link bars 25 and 26, and that the difference in vertical height between panel 15 and panel 16 must be substantially equal to the effective lengths of link bars 32 and 33.

FIGURES 3 and 4 illustrate one alternative manner of forming the link connections between the panels of the device. A typical link bar is shown at 4! said link bar comprising a rod formed with circular end loops 41, 41. A typical panel is designated at 43. Said panel is formed with a vertical slot 44 through which extends a pivot rod 45, one of the end loops 41 being located in the slot 44 and receiving the rod 45, to form a pivotal connection with the panel 43.

R FIGURES, 5 and 6 show the manner of forming the pivotal connections between link bars 40 and the panels, wherein staples '23 are secured in the panels, thestaples engaging through the end loops 41 of the link bars.

The panels 13,14, 15 and'16 may be formed of any. suitable rigid material such as ordinary wood, plywood,

Thus,

wire rod link bar 4% pivotally receives an end portion of a horizontal wire rod element 53, namely, the portion thereof located between the side element 54 of frame 51 and the adjacent vertical rod element 52, thereby forma ing the desired pivotal connection between link bar 40 and the panel 50.

As will be readily apparent, the compartments 19, 31

and 34 are top-loading and are of adjustable depth determined by the thickness of the stored material received therein. ment reaches its maximum when its associated link bars are substantially horizontal, for example, as shown in As above mentioned, the depth of each compartt dotted viewin FIGURE 2 wherein the contents at of the compartment 34 causes the panel 16 to be extended outwardly to a position such that the link bars 32 and 33 are substantially horizontal. Gravity acts on the panels to pull them dowardwardly and to compress the stored material. The bottom links'18, 18, 26, 26, and 33, 33 prevent the stored material from falling out or" the bottoms of the compartments 19, 31 and 34. The side links17, 17, 25, 25, arid 3 2,, 32 prevent the stored material from falling out of the sides of the compartments. N

When the rack device is completely. empty it collapses to a relatively small thickness, as shown in FIGURE 2.

While certain specific embodiments of a collapsible storage rack have been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as, defined by the scope of the appended claims. I

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a vertical support, a first rigid panel member secured to said support, a plurality of additional rigid panel members disposed adjacent and parallel to said first panel member, respective groups'of vertically spaced parallel link bars connecting the side edge portions of each of said additional panel members to the next inwardly adjacentpanel member to maintain all the panel members substantially parallel, and respec tive rigid link means extending parallel to said link bars and connecting the bottom edge of each of said additional panel members at points spaced inwardly from the 'side edges of said additional panel members to the next inwardly adjacent panel member, whereby to define respective collapsible storage compartments between said panel members, with said rigid link means providing bottom support for articles placed in'said storage compartments, said additional panel rnembers -b'eing connected together so that their top edgesare substantially at the same level when the compartments are all'in fully expanded conditions and are so decreased successively outwardly in vertical height that their bottom edges are substantially at the same level when the compartments are all in substantially collapsed conditions, whereby the first ri'gid'panel member may be mounted at a relatively low position on the support and said additional panel members will be clear of the floor whenthe compartments are in said substantially collapsed conditions.

2. Thestructure of claim 1, and wherein said additional panel members decrease successively outwardly in width.

3. The structure of claim 1, and wherein there are at least three additional rigid panel members, whereby to define at least three collapsible storage compartments.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,018,913 2/12 Keagy 211 4s X 1,219,366 3/17 Morden 211-51 1,227,719 5/17 Wildman 21 151 1,480,065 1/24 Hart 2ll-104 X 2,316,433 4/43 Hulick 211104 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. FRANK L. ABBOTT, Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A VERTICAL SUPPORT, A FIRST RIGID PANEL MEMBER SECURED TO SAID SUPPORT, A PLURALITY OF ADDITIONAL RIGID PANEL MEMBERS DISPOSED ADJACENT AND PARALLEL TO SAID FIRST PANEL MEMBER, RESPECTIVE GROUPS OF VERTICALLY SPACED PARALLEL LINK BARS CONNECTING THE SIDE EDGE PORTIONS OF EACH OF SAID ADDITIONAL PANEL MEMBERS TO THE NEXT INWARDLY ADJACENT PANEL MEMBER TO MAINTAIN ALL THE PANEL MEMBERS SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL, AND RESPECTIVE RIGID LINK MEANS EXTENDING PARALLEL TO SAID LINK BARS AND CONNECTING THE BOTTOM EDGE OF EACH OF SAID ADDITIONAL PANEL MEMBERS AT POINTS SPACED INWARDLY FROM THE SIDE EDGES OF SAID ADDITIONAL PANEL MEMBERS TO THE NEXT INWARDLY ADJACENT PANEL MEMBER, WHEREBY TO DEFINE RESPECTIVE COLLAPSIBLE STORAGE COMPARTMENTS BETWEEN SAID PANEL MEMBERS, WITH SAID RIGID LINK MEANS PROVIDING BOTTOM SUPPORT FOR ARTICLES PLACED IN SAID STORAGE COMPARTMENTS, SAID ADDITIONAL PANEL MEMBERS BEING CONNECTED TOGETHER SO THAT THEIR TOP EDGES ARE SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE SAME LEVEL WHEN THE COMPARTMENTS ARE ALL IN FULLY EXPANDED CONDITIONS AND ARE SO DECREASED SUCCESSIVELY OUTWARDLY IN VERTICAL HEIGHT THAT THEIR BOTTOM EDGES ARE SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE SAME LEVEL WHEN THE COMPARTMENTS ARE ALL IN SUBSTANTIALLY COLLAPSED CONDITIONS, WHEREBY THE FIRST RIGID PANEL MEMBER MAY BE MOUNTED AT A RELATIVELY LOW POSITION ON THE SUPPORT AND SAID ADDITIONAL PANEL MEMBERS WILL BE CLEAR OF THE FLOOR WHEN THE COMPARTMENTS ARE IN SAID SUBSTANTIALLY COLLAPSED CONDITIONS. 